Bring in the Gondolas: Arch Grounds Plan to Include Cable Ride Across Mississippi River

According to the CityArchRiver2015 Foundation, organizers of the Arch grounds design competition, visitors will be able to take a gondola ride across the Mississippi in the near future. When unveiled this past year, the gondola spanning the Mississippi River were the most visually stunning element of any of the proposed designs. It's a bold idea, and may generate revenue, meaning it could be the rare addition to the park that costs nothing. It also doesn't alter the grounds itself and does avoid the engineering challenges of building a structure such as a pedestrian bridge, with footings in the shipping lanes of the river. Some fret it may change the nature of the area. Let's hope so.

Here is what I had to say when the plan was first presented:

The feature is the only attraction offered by any team that has the potential to add a second signature element to the Arch grounds. In fact, I find it very likely that the gondola experience would be much more popular and enjoyable than riding the Arch tram, though I don't know if that's the right way to celebrate the Arch.